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Tranquil Gardens Interview::
Business Success: Tranquil Gardens
Angie Reeves, a 34-year-old mother of two boys, loves bath and body care products that pamper the body and spirit. So it's
no surprise that she runs a successful business, Tranquil Gardens , creating a variety of fragrant toiletries designed to
soothe the senses.
While Angie started her business focussing on gentle, hand made soaps, she soon began adding other wonderful bath
products, such as bath salts, to her line.
"After starting our own small soap business, we decided we would like to add other bath products to our line to give our
customers a better variety of products. I had always loved using bath salts myself, so was excited to make my own," she
says.
"Making bath salts is so much fun because there is such a great variety of scents and colours to play with, and it is not
at all difficult to do. Making soap requires so much patience, that I enjoy the instant gratification you get with bath
salts!"
Angie has been running her home-based business, Tranquil Gardens, with her sister for over a year, now. Together, the team
sell their quality-handcrafted products through craft shows and farmer's markets, as well as actively marketing to gift
shops and boutiques in their area.
During the busy months of running Tranquil Gardens, Angie has learned many things about running a bath and body care
business, even though she's owned and operated other businesses in the past. She stresses the importance of testing every
product you sell. When asked what mistakes she made that could have been avoided, she replied,
"Boy, let me see - Probably the biggest mistake we have made is being overly enthusiastic when making new batches.
Sometimes you think a new concoction will be wonderful and so you make a big huge batch right off the bat. You get done
and realize - Yuck, this stinks, which results in a big loss of materials and time."
"Now, we always do small test batches before jumping in with something new. Always, always test on friends and family
before selling anything. What you think is the cat's meow may be terrible in someone else's opinion!"
Angie also has sound advice for those hoping to start their own bath and body care business.
"I would say that the most important thing to know is that you must genuinely love what you do. And you must be willing to
share your enthusiasm with others day after day. It takes much more drive and self discipline than people think to work
for yourself. But if you love your work and strive to create the best product possible, people will feel your enthusiasm
and open their wallets to you!"
And as with any business, there are always challenges to face. One common challenge to businesses is the start-up capital
- and Angie agrees.
"Money is always an issue. It always takes more start up money than you think it will, and little things add up fast. It
is harder work than I first anticipated, but worth it!"
Yes, despite the challenges she faces, the owner of Tranquil Gardens definitely feels it's worth it.
"The most enjoyable part about having a business like this is... creating a product with your own hands, and seeing how
much others enjoy it. This brings me great satisfaction, to see my stuff make other people happy."
In order to succeed in this type of business, it's important to have lots of enthusiasm and a drive to succeed, as well.
Although both Angie and her sister feel they have lots of work ahead of them to reach their goals of selling wholesale
across the country and participating in large gift markets, they still have a passion for their product.
"I love to create things and soap and toiletries is a great creative outlet. I love products that pamper the body and
spirit. I love wonderful scents and things that make you feel good, even if just for those fifteen minutes I get from a
bath or shower. Also, after having been in business for myself with other creative ventures, I felt strongly that I could
make my handcrafted soap and bath business successful," she states.
When we asked Angie for some more information about her business and the product lines she handcrafts and sells, she was
willing to share with us.
"Our best selling bath salts are Lilac, Mint, and a Lavender Herbal blend we make with ground herbs. We make approximately
40-50 8 oz jars of bath salts per month, and sell by word of mouth, craft shows, farmer's market, as well as by actively
marketing to gift shops and boutiques."
"Along with bath salts, we also carry handmade cold process soap, lotions, and whipped shea body butter."
Learn how to
easily make over 101 types of soothing bath salts -- from exotic
dead sea aromatherapy bath salts to homemade herbal epsom salt blends - plus
how to package them elegantly as gifts.
Click here to
learn more.
